A Million Little Pieces
by NCISAddict87
Summary: My 2nd Tiva fan fic, my first official chapter story.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. So disclaimed.

Chapter 1

She was so aggravated with him. Aggravated at the moments that he could see right through to the obvious facts. The moments where he would simply sit & stare at her, knowing that the shield she had been oh so solidly holding up for months was dangerously close to be broken. These moments were ... overwhelming. Moments of weakness for her, moments that she didn't have often. But she could not afford to be weak. Gibbs made it clear to her that she; the old Ziva had died in Somalia, so why could she not admit she didn't feel right? Maybe it was the stares of sympathy? The way people had begun to notice the change in her voice when she no longer wanted to discuss a subject further? The room was dark and even still then he had been able to see how her pupils reacted to his words. Her breath caught and her head tilted slightly to the side. She wondered what he wanted from her. She sat, pondering the question, staring into the clear liquid of the glass in her hands. She sighed, thanking God it was Friday. The panic had not yet died down since the wave of suspected terrorist attacks, so the bar was not as busy as it should be. And for that she was thankful. Tucking herself into a dark corner, consuming drink after drink was what she needed to do tonight. She took a small sip, feeling the liquid burn as it slid down her throat. She knew a few more and the memories that still lingered would no longer burn her brain... at least until morning again.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked. Ziva stared at him for a moment. "You aren't freaked out about the terrorist attacks?" the bartender inquired, and Ziva shrugged. She gulped the rest of her liquid fire, wincing a bit as it hit her taste buds. The bourbon was harsh. "You do not live if the things you fear control you, yes?" she responded and pushed her glass towards him. She took a breath & momentarily closed her eyes as the familar tingle started to take control of her mind, leaving her problems locked away in the safe little box she'd built in her mind. "That's an interesting way of seeing things," he commented. She gave a quick nod and reached quickly for the glass, almost as if her life depended on having it in her hand at that moment. Her sweaty palms cooled slightly when she took the glass. She knew she should not let fear control her life now, but when she was alone at night fighting sleep that she desperately needed it seemed to possess her. She was terrified at what awaited her once she closed her eyes... it was then that she knew fear. Lately it seemed to control her in almost every aspect of her life. The case they were working, not even a pebble on her shoulder. Her life, however, was a hammer, banging her further & further into the ground. Eventually gravity would win out. It was exhausting & she was at the end of her rope.

She picked up the glass, taking another small sip. Movement to her left caught her attention, and she turned slightly. "McGee, I did not expect that you of all people went to the bar after work for a drink," she commented. "Everyone needs to release stress somehow, Ziva," he responded. "Are you here alone?" he asked her concerned, and she sighed. McGee was not like the others, he just stared almost hesitantly. "Today was stressful McGee," she said, choosing her words very carefully. She stared ahead at her reflection in the mirror behind the bar and she gauged his reaction. She decided he looked uncomfortable. "People put others in danger everyday for such strange reasons." "It is their means to an end, a way to justify what it is they are doing," Ziva said, her voice cracking slightly. McGee could easily make any situation awkward and Ziva wanted out. "To them there is always a reason, however, that does not excuse it," she was talking quickly, trying to hide the real reason she needed to talk.

She looked up, faking a smile. "I am... okay McGee." Okay, so she hadn't really talked about any of what had happened. She was sure that the medical records had been sent to Ducky who had surely spoken to Gibbs. But records were not the same as verbally recognizing and reliving what happened to her. She had swam under the radar at the pysch evaluation because fooling someone who did not know her was her specialty. Swam? No that was not right. She glanced to her left and realized McGee was still sitting there. What she hadn't realized was that she had been staring down at her glass again, and that her hands had started shaking ever so slightly. She did not know how to fool her family, her friends or... Tony. He was in a category all on his own.

She knew she looked tired, sad and in shambles. McGee's face was twisted in thought, she knew he was wondering what to say to her. Lamely he asked, "Have you been sleeping?" She let out a chuckle, which was an obvious surprise to him. "No, McGee I do not sleep very often," she responded softly, picturing the last time she had truly felt safe. It was with him. In his arms that fateful night. Nothing had happened, yet everything had happened. She felt unnerved & exposed. She could her McGee asking her when the last time she slept well was and she stopped him mid-sentence. "You would not believe me if I told you," she moved to get up, and swayed as her feet hit the floor. She grabbed his arm for leverage and watched a young couple sliding into a booth.

"I need to go, somewhere other than here," Ziva practically whispered. She cleared her throat and said, "Thank you for your company McGee. I will see you at work on Monday." She could feel his eyes on her as she walked out the door and she said a silent prayer that he wouldn't come after her.

She walked towards the park, occasionally swaying. She felt heavy on her feet, the alcohol taking a strong effect now. When she reached the park she continued walking slowly, without purpose. Suddenly her assassin senses kicked in and she felt a presence behind her. She never questioned being able to take care of herself, but tonight.... tonight she was drunk. Not tipsy or buzzing, but completely drunk, she was not sure of herself and sped up her walk trying to think of a way out of this. She heard the footsteps stop and she slowed, preparing to turn around, ready to fight when a hand covered her shoulder. Moosad senses hit her like a brick and she flipped her assailant over her shoulder dropping him to the ground. He groaned and as her eyes focused she gasped, "Tony! What are you doing sneaking up on me in the middle of the night?" "Better question is what are you doing out here in the middle of the night, alone, drunk, wandering the streets?" he asked accusingly. She crossed her arms and shot daggers at him with her eyes. "You do not own me Tony. I owe you no explanation," she said shortly. He sat up, rubbing the back of his neck & stated, "McGee called. He was worried about you Ziva. We all are." Her stance relaxed slightly & she reached out her hand to help him stand. "Tony, I will tell you what I told McGee," she said. He brushed himself off & asked "What's that Zee-vah?" "That I am okay and that I will be okay," her voice faultered and she cursed McGee inwardly for calling the one person she could not control herself around in her delicate state.

"It's not me you have to convince Ziva. I know that you are a strong, intelligent woman who can take care of herself. You on the other hand sound like you need some convincing," he said cautiously. She looked at him, her eyes sad and lonely. "Tony I have not felt safe since..." her voice trailed off and they both knew what she was going to say. Her mind wandered to that night not so long ago in Paris, wrapped in Tony's arms after waking from a short, fitful sleep full of undeniable terror. He had promised to hold her until she fell into a restful sleep and when she woke the next morning his arms were still around her. Later of course they denied anything had happened, blaming the hotel for the mistake and claiming the couch was not as comfortable as it had looked. "Come home with me Ziva. Sleep this off at my place and I'll take you to your car in the morning," he remarked quietly.

She started walking, not wanting to say something she might later regret. "Hey Ziva, are you -," she cut him off abruptly. "Do not think that you will be taking advantage of me. I may not be sober, but I can still kill you 18 different ways with a paperclip." She did not have to look back to know he was smiling. He jogged up to meet her and layed her arm across her shoulders. "You know this reminds me of ... ugh!" he took a shot to his gut from Ziva's elbow. "And no movie references."

His place wasn't far, and even with her unsteady strides they made it in record time. He walked behind her on the stairs, partially to catch her if she fell and partially for his own selfish lust. He enjoyed watching her hips sway unsteadily. Her jeans fit her perfectly, like they were made for her. He followed her closely & when they got to the top he reached around her to put his key in the door. He pushed it open and guided her in. "I am not a child Tony,I can stand on my own two feet," she murmered. He ignored her and held her waist possessively, not sure what move to make next. They stood silent, unmoving and then suddenly he let go. Walking to the fridge, he grabbed a bottle of water, opened it & handed it to her. He watched her carefully.

When she finished he took the bottle back, placed the cap back on it and set it on the side table. "Make your self comfortable, I'll grab you something wear," he said. She nodded, feeling sleepy. She sat on his couch, breathing in his scent. She could hear him rummaging through his drawers for a clean t-shirt. Her eyes fluttered shut and she started to drift off.... her last thought was hoping Tony would be there when she awoke.

Tony opened up several drawers searching for his favorite t-shirt to give to her. Where was it? He knew he'd just washed it, so it should be... he stopped & looked toward the laundry basket still in the corner on the floor. It was laying on top, neatly folded. He smirked, knowing that Ziva would find his neatly folded laundry un-DiNozzo like. He picked up the shirt and walked into the living room, "Here you go Zi-", he stopped short when he saw her already asleep on the couch. He walked over to her put her legs up on the couch, brushed her hair out of her face and went to get a blanket for her.

...To Be Continued....


	2. Chapter 2

05:00 am

She awoke groggy & disoriented, turned over and almost found herself on the floor. She slowly sat up surveying the room trying to figure out where she was and what happened. She couldn't think... her head hurt too much. She groaned and put her head into her hands. Several hundred feet away a loud noise jolted her & she reached for her gun instinctively only to find it not there. Suddenly Tony came waltzing out. "Good morning sunshine! I have some tea on for you." he said cheerfully. For a moment Ziva was confused, then a flashback to last night.... the bar, McGee calling Tony, the park, going home with him. "Do you mind keeping your voice down Tony?" she muttered. He held a finger up, grinned and walked into the kitchen pulling a bottle of aspirin from an overhead cabinet & poured his hung over hottie a cup of tea. When he walked back into the room she gave a lopsided smile and took the items from Tony's hands. "Someone has a hangover this morning," he chuckled. She rolled her eyes at him, "yes Tony you have hit the screw on the scalp." "Nail on the head," he corrected. He sat down in a chair near her & put his feet on the table. "So Ziva.... last night we had a great time right?" She looked confused, "No Tony we did not." "Why not, I thought after the third time that...," he was cut off by Ziva. "That is not true Tony, why do you feel the need to make a joke about this." "I was just trying to lighten the mood Ziva. Are you okay?" She stood quickly, "why does everyone keep asking me that? I am fine!" "I am sorry Tony I obviously did not sleep well and do not know what I am saying," she sighed. "Yeah I noticed. You tossed and turned all night," he confirmed. "Look just relax, take a hot shower, eat some breakfast and you'll feel better. I promise no more jokes until I see you crack a smile. Okay?" he said. "Thank you Tony," was her prompt response. She walked slowly, purposefully to the bathroom, clicked the door shut and locked it. She turned to lean her back against the door and closed her eyes. Here she was in his bathroom... not just any him, but HIM. This was the guy she had spent so much time hiding her feelings for, the guy she sat across from everyday in the bullpen sneaking glances at him throughout the day and trying to get close to him without seeming obvious just so she could breath in his scent. *Knock Knock* She jumped, "Yes?" "I thought you might want a clean towel," he offered. She opened the door to take it from him & her breath caught in her throat. He was standing in front of the door, his button up shirt undone and his signature smile pasted across his face. "I will not be long," she responded and shut the door once again. She undressed and stepped into the shower letting the hot stream of water run over her body. She stayed in longer than she herself had even anticipated, but she was already starting to feel better. When she stepped out she wrapped the towel around her and cleared a small space on the mirror so she could see her reflection. Something about being in Tony's bathroom made her want to draw funny faces on the mirror and she let out a small laugh. Instead though she wrote three words; Ani ohe otcha. I. love. you. She dressed quickly, wiped her simple confession away, took a deep breath and joined Tony in the kitchen. Two plates were set, piled high with pancakes, eggs and bacon. "Tony," she paused, waiting for him to turn around, "this was not something you had to do, but I am glad you did." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, finished putting the last of bacon onto an extra plate and sat down. "That's what friends are for Zee-vah." "Yes, that is true," she replied almost sadly. Breakfast was eaten mostly in silence, which she welcomed. She wasn't ready for the string of questions she knew were coming.

07:30 am

"Tony.... about last night -," Ziva began. "I do not usually make a hobbit out of doing things like this, it is not me." Tony struggled from laughing out loud, but Ziva's stealth ninja senses had already picked up on it. "I am trying to be serious Tony! What is so funny?" He grinned, "Patterned behaviors are habits, not hobbits. You ever seen Lord of the Rings? Frodo is a hobbit." She tilted her head to the side, "I will have to remember that." On the side table her phone buzzed. She picked it up, eyeing the name on the front screen. She looked up at Tony, "Gibbs." She flipped open her phone, "David." "Dead petty officer found in an underground sewer, meet me at the office in 20. And call Tony," Gibbs prompted. "I will take care of it." She hung up the phone. "My car will have to wait; we have a dead petty officer."

07:45 am

They arrived at the office 5 minutes ahead of schedule. As they stepped out of the elevator Tony stated, "I told you we could have stopped for coffee sweet cheeks." Ziva glared at him, "No Tony we could not have. If we had stopped for coffee we would have been late. The coffee shop was 15 minutes out of our way." He pushed his sunglasses down over his nose and declared, "Not with the way you drive." She pierced her lips together to stop herself from smiling remembering back to the first time she had driven Tony & McGee. Despite her lingering headache she burst out laughing leaving her partner confused. "Hey guys. You uh... came in together?" McGee stammered. "Way to notice McObvious," answered Tony. "Good morning McGee," Ziva said. You could feel the tension in the room, everyone wanted to say something, but no one said anything. Gibbs breezed by his desk with his signature cup of coffee and howled "Grab your gear!" They all scrambled for their backpacks and practically ran to the elevator. "So what do we got Boss?" Tony asked. Gibbs looked over at him, "Someone thought it would be funny to go on a scavenger hunt in the underground sewage system, a bunch of teenagers stumbled onto the body." "Why there?" he questioned. "Well I don't know DiNozzo, that would be an excellent question to ask them when we get there," Gibbs responded. "Right boss."

10:00 am

"You almost done Shutterbug?" Tony asked Ziva. "Yes I am finished now," she responded. "McGee, Ducky, Palmer you got everything you need?" he inquired to the rest of his team members. "Ah yes Anthony we must get our petty officer home," Ducky offered. "Yup just about done bagging evidence," McGee stated. "Great lets get packed up & get on the road," Tony cheerfully said. They loaded up as they had done so many times before but today something was different, something was lingering. Things needed to be said, between Tony & herself, between McGee & herself, but she could not bring herself to say anything except, "you drive Tony." She climbed in beside Tony and McGee followed. The ride back to the office was short and much of the rest of the day was nothing out of the ordinary. Gibbs was his usual genius mute, coffee addicted self, McGee clambered away at his keyboard and made frequent trips back & forth to Abby's lab. And Tony... ahh Tony. She had watched him cautiously the entire day; watched as he had listened to each of his voicemails intently, as he dropped jelly from a jelly-filled donut onto his shirt for the second time that week and as he looked at his cell phone every 3 minutes as if he were expecting someone to call or text message him.

19:00 pm

When they wrapped the case up that evening she was overly exhausted and ready to go home. She looked at the stack of paperwork on her desk and although she did not usually procrastinate she chose tonight to be her there's a first time for everything moment. The bullpen was quiet, dark, and completely empty. She put her head onto her hand and wondered where Tony was. McGee had already left and Gibbs was probably down with Abby. She looked at the time 19:07. She closed her eyes just for a second and the next thing she knew it was 19:32. Tony's face was only inches away from hers when her eyes fluttered open. "Well hello sleeping beauty I thought you'd never wake up," he grinned. She sat up, "I am sorry Tony. We can go now." After gathering their belongings they waited patiently until the elevator doors dinged open. Ziva hesitated stepping in, she knew in the past many intense conversations had taken place just behind those silver doors. When they shut there was no turning back, it was private and could easily be stopped to accommodate longer conversations where no witnesses were needed. This was why Gibbs called it his conference room and why Abby had found comfort in it when she was being stalked. Tonight though Ziva was tempted to take the stairs and not to step in beside Tony. The doors started to shut & Tony's hand shot out keeping the doors open so she could step in. She nodded, took a passing glance at the stairs and stepped in. "Look Ziva I know you probably just want to get your car and get home, but I was thinking maybe since it was late that you could just come back to my place again." She knew he didn't want to make her uncomfortable so he added, "I could use some company other than my James Bond collection."

Maybe it's like falling in love, *snaps* it can happen just like that.

That was exactly how it happened for him, just... like... that. There was no warning. He watched Ziva, no... studied Ziva as she took time to think about his offer. He didn't know why he had asked, it just came naturally to him.


	3. Chapter 3

"Tony maybe tonight would not be a good night. I understand that you have questions, that you would like to talk to me, but..." Ziva paused, "we will talk next week. Pick a day. I will make you dinner." "Really?" Tony exclaimed. "Okay, I may not make dinner, but we will talk." She held up her hand, "I promise." "Back to your car it is then little lady," Tony responded. Dropping Ziva off at her car was hard, he'd wanted her to come home with him, he'd wanted to talk to her about his feelings... their feelings and most of all he'd wanted to make passionate love after holding her most of the night. He watched in his rearview mirror as she pulled away from the bar and turned left onto the street. He stopped himself from following her home, he didn't want to scare her. But he had waited all these years... he sighed. What was a few more days?

He drove home completely unaware of his surroundings. He was used to unlocking his door without Ziva by his side, but last night it felt so right despite her being a bit incapacitated. He shut the door behind him, threw his keys on the side table where Ziva's bottle of water still sat and plopped down on the couch. He sighed and talked aloud to himself said, "DiNozzo you've got to get it together. She's just like any other girl, telling her your feelings should be simple." But who was he kidding, she wasn't just any girl. He ran his fingers through his hair, pondering the many questions he had. He hoped that she had made it home okay. As if on cue his phone beeped, Ziva's name flashed across the screen with the text message symbol. He sat looking at the phone afraid to open it, afraid she wanted to write him off. He breathed in deeply and flipped the phone open. Reading the contents out loud he smiled. "I am grateful for your assistance last night. I am home in one piece, I know you would worry." She knew him all too well. He didn't know what to text back without sounding over eager or desparate. He settled for a simple message. "No problem. I'm not worried anymore." He hit the send button and almost regretted not typing the three words he really wanted to say. But over text message was not the way he envisioned a confession of feelings. He kicked his shoes off and made his way to the bathroom to take a shower. When he stepped out, he wrapped a towel around his waist and went to the kitchen to get a beer. He knew he shouldn't be drinking, but he needed a memory blocker tonight or he'd never get any sleep. A knock sounded at his door and for a moment he looked confused. It was almost midnight, not even his frat buddies would pop up unannounced at this hour. He ignored looking into the keyhole and flung the door open. Standing there was Ziva. His mouth dropped open slightly, he didn't expect that in the least. "Ziva..." he shook his head not sure what to say. She didn't say a word to him, instead she just looked him from his toes up to eye level and bit her lip. She looked so innocent, so vulnerable at that moment. They both then smiled remembering back to their very first meeting. She took a breath, stepped forward, put her hand on his bare chest and pressed her lips against his. Then as suddenly as she was there she was gone... down the stairs before he could even react. His head was reeling and he stood frozen in place. He virtually Gibbs slapped himself and without thinking he flew down the stairs and out the door hoping to catch Ziva before she pulled away from the curb. He looked up and down the street, but she was already gone. He was slightly out of breath and put his hands on his hips still trying to comprehend what had just happened. A few passerby's from the corner pub caught his attention and he turned to look at them. "Hey buddy you drunk or something?" the older man laughed. He didn't answer & walked back inside. He emptied his beer in the sink knowing he didn't really need it and now after that kiss he didn't want anything to touch his lips so that her chapstick would linger as long as possible.

He paced his floor, thinking. He was tempted to play house tag, go kiss her & leave the way she did him, but he knew if he saw her again tonight nothing could stop him from ravaging her body over and over and over again. He looked at the clock beside his bed. 2:36 am. Now exhausted, he lay down on the bed and sleep quickly overcame him. He dreamt of Ziva, as he had done many nights before, but this time there was nothing in the way of their feelings, the admission was not at work as he'd always predicted it would be, and making love to her wasn't the best thing about it. When he awoke in the morning his mind was filled of her smiles, he loved seeing her smile and last night's dream was full of nothing but smiles shared between them & behind each other's backs when they thought the other wasn't looking. He put his hands behind his head & enjoyed the pictures still dancing around in his head. He decided that today would be the day he'd tell her his feelings, after years of waiting he couldn't wait anymore. He got dressed, ate breakfast and went to the grocery store just as he did every Sunday. This Sunday though everyone noticed his cheerful mood, and the good-looking cashier winked at him knowing what his good moods usually were about. He grinned and told her that the reason he was happy wasn't why she thought it was. She chuckled and nodded, she obviously didn't believe him but he didn't care today. He went home, put the grocery's away and text Ziva. All he put in the body of the text was "Taylor Mallum Park. 2 pm." He hoped she would show up.

2 pm

He'd been there for 45 minutes already. He didn't want to be late, so instead he showed up almost an hour early. He had set up the blanket and the small picnik lunch he'd packed. He'd put 1 single orchid into a small vase & placed it near the basket, then stepped back to survey his work. His shoulders slumped, he thought to himself how cheesy this must look. He should have put more thought into it, why didn't he copy one of George Clooney's moves? "Tony?" Ziva called his name. He closed his eyes and smiled hearing his name come out of her mouth, then he turned to look at her. "Hey Zee-vah," he smiled at her. She looked at the picnik, "Is that where we will be eating?" "Uh yeah, I just thought it would be more relaxing than a restaurant," Tony responded. "Yes I agree," she nodded towards him curtly. He put on his signature grin & rubbed his hands together, "Alright, lets eat first, then talk." He watched Ziva sit on one edge of the blanket, her chocolate curls hanging softly over her shoulders, her jeans fit more loosely today than they had Friday night and her t-shirt clung to her frame beautifully. She looked up & her eyes meant his. He sat down close enough to her to satisfy his need, but far enough away not to alert her. He pulled out the sandwiches and fruit he brought from the deli and handed her a water. They exchanged a few words, but much was left unsaid as usual. The entire time he was thinking about how to tell her he loved her without scaring her, but this was Ziva she was not easily scared. Then again she had been through so much lately that her emotional state was more fragile than usual. "Tony?" her voice cut through his thoughts. He looked up but didn't say a word. "Are you going to answer my question?" "Uh yeah...see I..." he stumbled over his words. "NCIS. How did you get into the agency?", Ziva repeated to him. "Oh that's easy. I smiled." Tony grinned. Then he frowned remembering his conversation with Kate over this exact topic, and he'd just supplied the same exact answer to Ziva. He hadn't thought about Kate in months. He wondered how Kate & Ziva would have gotten along, they were polar opposites, but so were Abby & Kate who had gotten along so well. If only Kate could see him now, she'd never believe his feelings for Ziva were real. But they were, every little peice of emotion was real & raw.


	4. Chapter 4

"I guess there's no need to ask how you got here, huh?" Tony said absently. "What is wrong Tony?" "I was thinking about Kate. I think about her less now, but every once in awhile a thought creeps into my mind." Tony told her. Ziva giggled, "Thinking about her naked again Tony?" He turned away, and all he said was "No." Ziva reached out and touched his arm gently, "It is okay to miss her Tony. She was your partner and I am sure that you will always remember her." "Kate was so different than you Ziva. Sometimes I don't know how we got along at all, she didn't like confrontation and she was a serious soul. But you... you're different. From the moment you walked into NCIS I knew we'd be a perfect fit. You challenged me, when no one else would. When I pushed you, you pushed me right back. No one had done that to me before. All along I thought it was okay to schlep along having everything my way, but then when you arrived my whole perspective on life changed. You made me want things I didn't know existed in my little world. You Ziva David are something special." Looking at Ziva he saw a flicker of emotion in her eyes, he wasn't sure what that meant. "Tony, I do not know what to say. I am not used to hearing you say things like this and I am surprised." It's now or never he thought. He breathed in deeply and grasped Ziva's hand in his. "Ziva, there's something I've been wanting to say to you for a long time and if I wait any longer I'm not sure it will come out the way I've rehearsed." A dog barked and caused them both to look up because it sounded dangerously close. The dog bounded directly between him and Ziva making him release his grip on her hand. Directly behind the husky was a little girl, who appeared to be about 5 years old. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied in pigtails and paying no attention she headed straight for them. She tripped on the edge of the blanket and both of their arms shot out to catch the little girl. She fell into Ziva's arms unharmed. "Are you okay?" Ziva softly asked. She nodded and sat up in Ziva's lap. Her mother came running up apologizing profusely. "It is okay. I do not think she hurt herself." The little girls mother knelt on the ground speaking to her daughter in a gentle tone, "Maddie are you okay honey? I told you not to run after Mickey like that." Then she turned her attention to Tony & Ziva, "I'm sorry. I hope she didn't interrupt. Mickey got off the leash and Maddie will be devestated if we don't find her." Maddie walked over to Ziva, "Do you have a doggy Miss Lady? I named mine after Mickey Mouse!" she said enthusiastically. "Micky Mouse?" Ziva looked confused. "I'll explain later." Tony shot her smile. Maddie tugged on Ziva's sleeve, "will you help me find Mickey please?" "I.." she started. Maddie's mother interrupted, "I'm sorry, she shouldn't have asked you. Thank you." "That is all right, we do not mind assisting you in your search for... ," she paused, then said "Mickey." Ziva smiled at the little girl next to her. They got up & took off in the direction in which the husky had gone only moments before. It took over 2 hours, but they eventually found Mickey, the dog not the mouse, asleep in a far corner of the park under a bench.

As he walked her back to her car, he was frustrated that they didn't finish their talk. It seemed that something always interrupted them, he wished that the man above would quit playing games with him and just let him tell her. When he reached her car, he blurted out "we need to talk about that kiss." He figured the what exactly happened talk would lead straight into the feelings talk, but to his surprise Ziva said, "Tony, this is not a conversation I am prepared to have right now. I am not ready to deal with the consequences of what I suspect will be said between us. The elephant in the room will still be here tomorrow." "Yeah you would get that right, wouldn't you?" he begrudgingly answered. "Ziva I won't give up on you. On us. This conversation may be over right now, but we are far from finished talking about it." He opened her door, let her slip into the drivers seat before leaning down towards her. "You can't escape what we feel Ziva. I spent years trying to before I realized I wanted to let these feelings take me over." With that he turned to walk away leaving Ziva stunned.


	5. Chapter 5

She watched Tony speed away from the parking lot and she closed her eyes letting a few tears fall down her face. She banged her hand against the steering wheel wondering why she did not just confess her feelings. She did not understand why she was being so stubborn, Tony obviously felt the same way she did. She had been happy lately, no she had not been sleeping better, but something was making it easier for her to relax before the night came. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a black sedan with tinted windows, she had seen the same one the night she had went to Tony's apartment. She thought back to the night at the bar wondering if they had been there too, but that night was still a bit fuzzy to her. She was careful to make it seem like she did not see them. She pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. Remembering she was out of tea, she stopped in front of a small corner store and ran in to get some. She felt uneasy when she stepped out, but her Mossad training taught her to be aware but not noticed. So, she continued on her route home, checking her mirrors every few minutes to see if she was still being tailed. She was. There was no parking in front of her apartment building, so she parked a block over near an abandoned building. When she stepped out of her car she immediately knew something was wrong. In the

alley next to the large building with grafitti, she heard a click and she turned. A gun pointed at her she instinctivally started to reach for her gun. The man behind the mask spoke harshly to her, "I wouldn't try that if I were you." She ignored him and she pulled her gun from her holster pointing it at him, but she never got the chance to pull the trigger. She suddenly felt a stinging pain on the back of her head and she crumpled to the ground. She was only slightly aware of herself being lifted, voices, and screeching car tires.

*Italics to signify flashback to the night before*

She sits at her desk alone, drinking a cup of hot tea. It is late, but she cannot sleep. So instead she stares at the almost blank piece of paper in front of her. Only 3 words adorn the paper, My Dearest Tony. She

pulls her leg up onto the chair & looks out the window. Outside it is raining gently and only a soft patter of rain can be heard. This is a letter she has written, re-written and crumbled up many times. Nothing comes out quite the way she wants to tell it. She sighs softly and pulls her hair over one of her shoulders. She is tired, but she senses another sleepless night ahead. Besides this letter was to be written tonight, she felt it. She told herself she was thinking to much, analyzing her thoughts instead of just writing what was in her heart. She put her pen to the paper & began writing...

My Dearest Tony,

I often look back to the early days of our acquaintance and friendship as to the days of love and innocence, and, with an indescribable pleasure, I have seen a score of years roll over our heads with an affection heightened and improved by time. Perhaps I should draw you the picture of my heart? It would be what I hope you would still love, though it contained healing fractures. The absolute power you have obtained over it, leaves not the smallest space unoccupied.

Love demands everything and that very justly, you must be mine and I yours. The deep sorrow that I have felt for what I have experienced, cannot be changed, but I ask can our love endure all, except through sacrifice? I do not want to sacrifice my past, my present or my future, I do not want to sacrifice what could be, I do not want to sacrifice the wall that I spent so long building up around my heart. I cannot communicate to you the observations that I have made during the last few years, touching my own life in a way that is both intoxicating and has left my senses in turmoil. My heart is full of many things to say, but there are moments when I feel that speech is nothing after all.

I wake filled with thoughts of you. A thousand images of you; all different, all rare & all that have greatly touched me. Your portrait is sweet, incomparable and the effect you have on my heart is strange for me, something I have only felt since I met you. I did not think anyone could have such a profound effect on me, as you have. And so it seems to me, that no man was ever before to any woman what you are to me; only I know what was behind the long wilderness without the blooming rose.

Is it wonderful that I should stand as in a dream, and disbelieve--not in you--but in my own fate? I am content to delegate to the other woman the duty of watching, listening & admiring, while to myself I reserve the right of loving; this may be less attractive to the ear, but it is far sweeter to the heart. You & I, we have the most amazing secrets and an understanding that others do not share. We have increasing perplexities, many still unsolved but I am sure that on our future endeavors, resolutions will be found.

You are my all and one day I hope to find the courage to tell you this.

Until then, mio dolce amor, a thousand kisses; but give me none in return, for they set my blood on fire.

Tamid,

Ziva

She does not even re-read the letter once she is finished, knowing she would find a flaw... no an excuse to throw yet another letter in the garbage. She folds the letter carefully, methodically and puts it in a sealed envelope. Leaving it on the desk she lays down on her couch, exhaustion overcoming her.

*Flashback ends*

She groaned and tried to open her eyes. Everything was a haze. She tried to move & she heard a voice say "she is waking up." A man came and stood over her peering down at her. "Do not try to move Ms. David, you are bound and because we know what a fighter you are we had to drug you to keep you calm." Blinking her eyes a few times she was able to focus a little better, she was confused when the man above her was Ahmad, a man her father knew well. "I do not understand," Zivas speech was slurred. "Your Agent DiNozzo will be so disappointed when you do not return to work tomorrow," Ahmad spoke gently to her. He began pacing, "Your father is not happy Ziva. He has seen your loyalty to him decreasing most frequently. An email is no way to tell your father you no longer wish to be apart of Mossad. You have obviously lost some of your touch as you have been being watched for months now. He is even less pleased to see how taken you are with Agent DiNozzo. After what happened with Michael Rivkin, he was sure you would leave NCIS and certainly leave Agent DiNozzo, but somehow the events leading to present day have only pushed you further into his arms." Ziva was breathing shallow, "He could not have called to discuss this with me. He had to have me captured & drugged to subdue me? He is not my family anymore Ahmad. NCIS will find me and you will not be taken alive." Ahmad laughed. "Ms. David you have far too much faith in NCIS." She ignored him, "Where am I?" "Do not worry, your cell phone was turned off & tossed. We know how to play the game." Ziva was intrigued. "What game?" Ahmed laughed again. If your

precious Agent DiNozzo and NCIS want you back they will have to play the game. You Ms. David are the prize." A voice from the back of the room startled her. Ahmed walked to the other man, they spoke in hushed tones for a few moments. A man she did not recognize walked over to her & helped her to sit up. "My name is not important, I am here to ensure the game runs smoothly. The rules have been written and soon NCIS will receive notice of your disappearance. You will stay here until the game is finished. If your father wins, your friends will die & you will be returned to Tel Aviv." "And if he does not?" Ziva asked. "He will. But if NCIS somehow manages to beat your father at his own game, you may go back to NCIS, back to DiNozzo and your father will have reign over you no more. But do not fear that, your father is a ruthless man and he will not lose." The men then left the room, leaving her alone. She did not want a repeat of Somalia, except maybe for the part where NCIS had rescued her. Tony had come around the world to avenge her death, something she first thought stupid of him, until she actually thought about it weeks later. He risked everything for her, thinking she would not even be there to save. She tried to smile then feeling love penetrate straight through to her bones, but she was to weak to do even that. She slowly fell back into a fitful darkness.

Monday morning at NCIS...

Tony strolled out of the elevator, grinning. He took his sunglasses off, set his backpack on the floor and said "Morning Probie. Where is our Israeli assassin?" "I don't know Tony. She's late." McGee said. "Well did you call her?" he picked up the phone dialing her cell phone. [Italics] Ziva David. Tony hung up. "Straight to voicemail, McGoo, can you trace it?" "She's not even an hour late Tony, shouldn't we give her a little longer to call or show up?" McGee suggested. "McGee you must have forgotten about what happened the last time she was late." McGee nodded. "Good point. I can trace it if it turns back on." "Trace who McGee?" Gibbs inquired. "Uh boss, Ziva..." "Ziva's missing boss." Tony interrupted. "Missing?" Gibbs set his coffee onto his desk. "She is late Tony, that doesn't make her missing." "I talked to her yesterday afternoon boss, she didn't text me when she got home, now her phone is off. You remember what happened when you quit don't you?" Gibbs glared at him. "Sorry boss, retired." Tony corrected. "Yeah I remember." "What do we know besides she isn't answering her phone?" "Nothing yet." McGee answered. Tony sat down at his desk, re-checking his text messages to make sure he had not missed one. He sighed and threw his phone down on the desk... looking at his stack of mail. He picked it up, going through it & tossing most of it. He came to a plain white envelope, no return address, with the words Agent Anthony DiNozzo scrawled across the front. "Boss I think we have something here and after my brush with death I am not opening it this time. I think it's McGee's turn." "Take the envelope to Abby, have her open it in secure chambers and do not come back until you have something."

Twenty minutes later Tony is pacing the floor of Abby's lab talking so fast it practically sounds like gibberish. "Tony if you cannot keep quiet you're going to have to leave. I can't concentrate with you wearing a hole into my floor." "Are you almost done Abs?" Tony asked impatiently. "Just about..."

Abby paused & inside the clear secure box the evelope was opened, "now!" "There are no hazardous materials Tony you are safe." Abby pulled her hands out of the gloves and opened the chamber to give Tony the letter back. He grabbed it from her. There were three pages. The first page had only three words on it; The Game Begins, the second page had a phone number and the third had a lock of chocolate brown hair accompanied by one single sentence that unnerved him to the core, Ziva David will die if you do not win the game." "Oh my God," Tony was frozen in fear. "What is it Tony? Let me see!" Abby bounced over to him grabbing the letter from his hand chattering about it being another love letter. Her face was smiling until she hit the last page, then her eyes went wide, she grabbed Tony by the arm & pulled him towards the elevator. The doors barely opened before they rushed out of it into the bullpen. "Boss we have a problem." Tony said panicked. Gibbs looked over the letter frowning. "Abby analyze every peice of this letter. I want to know who sent it!" The team swung into action, but Gibbs had a gut feeling that the letter would reveal nothing. "DiNozzo with me. We need to check out Ziva's car and apartment, we need to know where she went after you left her. McGee stay here, if her phone comes back on I want an address

immediately!" The ride to Ziva's apartment was tense and he was almost relieved when they stopped in front of her building. He looked up, his eyes squinting at the brightness of the sun. He grabbed the gear out of the trunk & they made their way up to Ziva's apartment.


	6. Chapter 6

Ziva was still groggy, they kept feeding her drugs through an IV and she barely stayed awake more than 10 minutes at a time. In the short time she was awake, she tired herself quickly trying to get out of the shackles she was in. Ahmad & her unnamed assailant checked in on her often and did not treat her too badly. She was given water and bread every couple of hours. Occasionally she would hear them talking, mostly too quiet for her to hear, but she did hear a hurried conversation questioning why NCIS had not yet called the phone number they had provided. She knew there was a reason they had not called, but it concerned her. She wondered if they even knew she was missing... of course they knew! Tony surely would have called her by now. She sighed heavily causing Ahmad to look her way. "You may be here longer than we thought Ms. David. It seems your Agent DiNozzo has chosen to ignore the letter we have sent him. NCIS has 8 hours to contact us before plan B is put into effect."

Tony felt he was violating Ziva's privacy. He hesitated when he got to her door, only opening it when Gibbs prompted him, "What are you waiting for DiNozzo?" Her apartment was different than it had been the last time he was in it, then again this was a different apartment. And all her things had been destroyed in the explosion, so it came as no surprise to him that the material things were different too. Gibbs & Tony surveyed the room carefully. "Boss what are we looking for," Tony asked. "Anything to help us find her," Gibbs clarified. "Right boss." They went room by room searching every drawer, every corner and ever receipt. Gibbs turned to Tony, "You take the desk, I'll check the closet." "Uh Boss, I don't really feel comfortable going through a place that could have her deepest darkest secrets written in some diary," Tony cleared his throat. "Take the closet DiNozzo," Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Thanks Boss." Gibbs walked over to the desk in the corner of the room, pulling out the chair he sat down. He moved stuff carefully around in each of the drawers, he didn't want to disturb her items either. He shut the bottom drawer and picked up the envelopes on the top of the desk. Sifting through them he came to a sealed enveloped with the word Tony written on the front. Rule #12 was meant to protect them, and thus far it had worked.

Throughout the years, he had noticed the bantering, the UST, the nicknames and the looks, but he stayed mute. He was content letting them think no one knew a thing. He smirked thinking about the office pool Abby had started years ago, it had grown a significant amount over the years. A door shut loudly and DiNozzo practically shouted, "Nothing there Boss." Gibbs slipped the letter into his pocket and said "Let's go. We need to check out her car." Her car wasn't parked out front, so they walked a block to the east. As they turned the corner, Ziva's car came into view & when they reached it they found it unlocked. Laying on the front passenger seat was a bag with a box of tea bags in it. Tony recognized the name on the receipt as a small corner store they had passed on the way to her apartment. No others clues were found in the surrounding area and they headed back to the office to see if Abby or McGee had found anything.

_Where were you when everything was falling apart... you found me.... lying on the floor.... _

Ziva could not get a song out of her head, one she was not even sure where she had heard. The lyrics made her think about Tony and she wondered if NCIS had called yet. She tried to sit up, but it was too difficult. She looked around the room, realizing she was alone. She started to cry, this was something she had been doing much more often than she was used to. Everyone told her that after her ordeal she should expect to be emotional, but she hated these feelings. She was frustrated because she couldn't even wipe her tears and she let out a low growl.

"Boss do you think we should call the phone number?" Tony asked. "McGee run a trace on it," Gibbs responded. McGee plugged the phone number in & got the untraceable beep. "Looks like it's a burn phone." "Call it Tony, put it on speaker." Tony pushed the speaker button & dialed the number slowly.

It rang only once before a male's voice picked up & said, "Ahh Agent DiNozzo you have decided to play the game after all." "Ziva's not a toy," Tony shot back angrily. The voice on the other end laughed. "Of course she's not. But for this game she will be the prize. Tomorrow morning you will receive another set of instructions, you will follow them, if you do not Ms. David will not be the only life lost. Goodbye for now." The line went silent and Tony hit the speaker button hard, harder than he should have. "We have to do something. I can't just sit on the sidelines while Ziva's out there somewhere, alone & scared and possibly already dead," Tony hurriedly told Gibbs & McGee. "Go to down to the lab Tony. See if Abby got anything off the letter," Gibbs told him softly. Tony started to protest, but the look Gibbs gave him told him to keep his mouth shut. He made his way down to Abby who immediately jumped up wondering if they'd found Ziva yet. "No Abs." Tony kneeled onto the floor & put his head into his hands. "God Abs, why does stuff like this always happen to Ziva? Hasn't she been through enough?" Abby leaned down giving him a squg, "It'll be okay Tony. You rescued her once, you'll bring her home again."

_The next morning...._

Tony had slept under his desk the night before, wanting to be there when the mail came around. When the elevator dinged he jumped up and pounced on Jerry, their mail guy. "Where's it at? My mail? Are you going to answer me? Don't make me place you under arrest Jerry!" Tony interrogated him. "I, uh, it's right here," Jerry said pressing a single envelope into his hand. "Are you alright?" he asked. "You, go on with your job." Tony said. He tore it open being careful not to destroy any possible trace evidence. Again, there was three pages. On page one there was an address, page two a time and page three a new phone number. As usual Gibbs had impeccable timing and walked in with a cup of coffee just as Tony was taking the letter down to Abby. "Boss, a new letter came this morning, an address, a time and a phone number. What am I supposed to do with that?" "You sleep here DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked looking at his ruffled clothing & unkempt hair. Tony nodded. "Alright get the letter to Abby."

Back up in the bullpen McGee was running the phone number, which again was untraceable. "Where's the address lead us McGee?" Gibbs inquired sipping his coffee. "A restaurant. Limonim," McGee answered. Neither had heard Tony come back up, of course that was probably because he'd taken the stairs. "Ziva's favorite restaurant. She said it reminded her of Israel," Tony told them. "Grab your gear." "Wait! Boss, don't you think we should wait until 1:00? If they're watching us, and we don't follow their rules Ziva's dead. We can't chance that. You heard that guy, if we don't follow the rules others will die too." They waited, running down every lead they could dream up. When the time came they geared up & drove to the restaurant. When they entered, the hostess greeted them. They flashed their badges and Tony stepped towards her holding up Ziva's picture. "She have a regular table?" The hostess pointed to a table near the back corner. They first checked under the chairs, finding nothing McGee knelt done looking underneath the table. There taped to the underside was another envelope. McGee opened the letter reading it aloud in a hushed voice, "Welcome to the game. You have 1 minute to find the bomb before it detonates. Time starts now." The team started grabbing people, yelling at everyone to get out. Confused, people were running out both the front & back exits. "How are we on time McGee?" Gibbs shouted over the crowd. "20 seconds left boss." The last person exited the restaurant and Gibbs yelled, "Take cover." They barely made it out of the restaurant door before an explosion threw Gibbs & Tony onto the ground and McGee into the side of a car. First responders arrived rather quickly and they were the only ones treated for minor physical injuries. Several restaurant patrons were treated for shock, but no one had died, NCIS had succeeded. An hour later they made a call to the second phone number & again it rang only once before being answered. "Very good Agent DiNozzo. Ms. David will be satisfied to hear you have succeeded at your first task. You will receive another letter in the morning. Rest well tonight, you will need your strength for tomorrows task." Again the line went silent. Tony breathed a sigh of relief, "Boss she's still alive."

Ziva thought about screaming. But it was no use, she was sure no one would hear her cries for help. The door opened & her head jerked up. "Good afternoon Ms. David. NCIS has satisfied the requirements of the first task, they will be presented with a new one in the morning," Ahmad told her. "They are... okay?" Ziva asked. "Yes, for now." Ahmad confirmed. "I want to talk to my father," Ziva stated. "In due time, you must be patient," her other assailant said from behind her.


	7. Chapter 7

Tony stared across the empty bullpen and started to talk aloud. "Ziva how do you manage to look so sexy in cargo pants & boots? Seriously, how many woman can do that? Okay, maybe Angelina Jolie, but she's paid to look good. You… you just look good without even trying to and on top of your kick-ass ninja skill set and being an exotic beauty you are incredibly intelligent. 10 languages is no easy feat. You have this way about you, unusual at times, but somehow for you it works perfectly. I just want you to know I wish you were here." He sighed, now if only he could find her safe & sound to tell her all that in person. He heard a small noise behind him & he turned with a surprised look. Abby stood, hands clasped, smiling. "Abs! Hey, I.. uh… how much of that did you hear?" he asked. She grinned even harder, "not a word." Tony knew she'd heard everything, but after all these years he assumed at least she knew how he felt. She had a sixth sense about things like this. "McGee went on a caf-pow run, I thought you could use some company," she said shrugging a bit. She sat down in McGee's chair, "you really should go home to get some rest Tony." He sighed again. "Abs I can't. I just can't. What if she calls? She needs me to be here," he responded. She tilted her head & smirked slightly, "you could always forward your calls and sleep in autopsy!" She jumped up, "Timmy will be wondering where I am, if you need us we'll be down in my lab." Tony watched her walk away thinking about how much bad luck the team had had over the years; stalkers, shooters, killer cars, angry ex-cons, but something about this case was hinky.

She was trying to stay awake, her energy was at an ultimate low and she felt like she had been there for months, but knew it had only been days. She had been relieved to hear that NCIS had completed the first task successfully, but thought it odd that they were following the rules. NCIS was known for breaking the rules, not abiding by them. Her father & Ahmad would have been excruciatingly careful not to leave an evidence trail of any sort, and without evidence she guessed NCIS had no choice. Ahmad told her nothing, and seemed to be growing annoyed with her. She had been inquiring about where she was being held and if she was still in Washington , D.C., but after the bombing she got her answer. She overheard a conversation between her two assailants and she knew they'd never even left the city. "Wake up Ziva. It's time for you to eat." Her neck was sore, she was dirty & lonely. She was scared, not for herself but for the innocent people who may be killed in the process of NCIS trying to rescue her, again. She opened her eyes and with a venomous growl said, "Bug Off!" She closed her eyes again letting her mind wander back to a conversation with Tony about a film class she had taken. Of course learning American colloquialism was important and American films were a great way to learn. But she had an ulterior motive as well. Tony was a movie buff and she liked to impress him. When she knew a movie he referenced his eyes lit up like a child's on Christmas and his grin made her weak in the knees. She figured if all she had to do in part to keep him happy was study film she'd watch classics, to George Clooney & even James Bond flicks. Her thoughts were interrupted by Ahmad's voice, "Ms. David, you should eat. We do not want you to wither away now." She responded with a slight pleading in her voice, "Then let me go Ahmad, tell my father to talk to me himself instead of having you do his dirty work for him." He ignored her & held a cup of water to her mouth. She drank slowly, she knew she needed to stay hydrated in case she figured a way out of the shackles. "I do not understand why you are putting other people's lives in jeopardy," she stopped suddenly when she realized the answer and answered herself out loud, "if NCIS focuses on something other than me, it may distract them and you are hoping they mess up. That will not work Ahmad, my father knows that and soon you will too."

_Down in Abby's lab…_

McGee and Abby were laying on the floor using Bert and the pillows from the ballistics room to make themselves comfortable. They had their backs to each other and were talking quietly. "Abby, do you believe in destiny?" McGee asked. "There isn't a cookie cutter way to answer that Timmy. We all have many destiny's." "No, I mean this is Ziva's second time being taken, do you think…" McGee started. Abby sat up quickly, "Do I think WHAT McGee? That it's her DESTINY to be taken hostage & killed? That's nobody's destiny. Ziva belongs here with us, that's her destiny!" she proclaimed. She was glaring at him and even with his back turned he could feel the daggers she was shooting at him with her eyes. He sat up, "I didn't mean it like that Abby, I just…" he sighed, "forget it." Abby looked back over at him and said, "she'll be okay McGee" before laying back down.

Tony & Gibbs were trying to give Abby time to sift through the bomb evidence, but they were growing increasingly impatient. When they couldn't wait any longer they took the stairs down to her lab. Entering quietly they saw McGee & Abby laying on the floor together and both men stopped. "Abby?" The gothic forensic scientist turned her head slowly before sitting up, "Gibbs? Are you avoiding the elevator again?" "Nope, what do you got Abs?" he said. She pushed herself up off of the floor and stood in front of the two men. Her face was twisted in thought, "well..." "Abby, don't make me beg!" Gibbs said. "Ooo Gibbs, beggars can't be choosers, you aren't going to like what I've got," she pierced her lips together. Tony stepped towards her, "Did you get anything from the bomb fragments Abby?" She hit a few buttons on her computer and said, "No unique marks, no signatures, not a single drop of blood. But I can tell you that it was remotely detonated, which means these guys had to be within…" Tony interrupted finishing her sentence, "100 feet. Those bastards were watching us the entire time." Tony was stunned for a moment, he wondered if they were bystanders on the street or patrons in the restaurant. And if they were there, then why did they allow the team to get out before they detonated the bomb. "I told you that you weren't going to like this Gibbs." The team looked at each other knowing this only lended them more questions and no answers. "Boss these men, had an easy opportunity to take out 3 federal agents & a restaurant full of patrons, so why didn't they?" Tony asked. Abby bit her lip not wanting to hear what Gibbs had to say. "They have something bigger in store for us DiNozzo. If they kill us it won't be until they're done toying with us," Gibbs told them. 


	8. Chapter 8

Another sleepless night, another note, another day without Ziva. He didn't know if he could deal with anything other than another rescue. He folded & unfolded the paper in his hands, replaying the words in his head – Flight 646 6:20 pm accompanied by the words you won't want to miss this. He looked at the clock… only 8:45 am. What the hell was he supposed to do for the next 9.5 hours?

McGee and Abby stood around the corner, out of Tony's line of sight whispering quietly. "Timmy he doesn't look good. He hasn't slept, he won't eat and he hasn't even showered. I'm starting to wonder if I should wear a hazmat suit around him." Abby nudged him, "Go make him eat, and shower." "How am I supposed to do that?" he asked. "Remind him he needs strength to help save her & that he doesn't want to look like death warmed over when he finds her," Abby said simply. "Now go." McGee walked slowly over to Tony's desk. "Hey Tony, I was just going for some breakfast, do you want something?" "No thanks McSidekick." "Are you sure Tony, because…" McGee started. "I'm sure Probie." McGee continued, "I'm just saying maybe you should keep your energy & strength up for when we find her. And maybe a shower isn't such a bad idea either. If you find her looking the way you do right now she's going to wonder if you've been held captive too." Tony stood up and banged his hand on the desk, "McGee do you think she's really going to…" and then he stopped suddenly and scratched his chin, "you're right I smell a little. She doesn't need to worry about how bad I look when it's her we need to worry about. Thanks McGee." Tony headed off towards the showers and McGee breathed a huge sigh of relief.

She'd been alone for hours now. She was growing annoyed listening to the same drip, drop noise of water from the old pipes. She'd been observing her surroundings trying to figure out where she was. She moved carefully and slowly to avoid more chaffing of her wrists and turned her head towards the back of the room. A box lay on it's side with an address… an address she knew. She cursed in Hebrew under her breath and shut her eyes. A loud bang made her shrink back slightly and Ahmad barreled through the door with a small canister. "This my friend is the first part of the second task. There's no way your NCIS friends will live through this. I'm sorry Ziva. Once they are gone we can return you to your father and all will be well," Ahmad nodded in her direction. "They'll figure this out Ahmad," is all she said in return.

Closing in on the 2 hour mark, the team had done background checks on every passenger & all the flight crew aboard Flight 646. Not one red flag went up. Gibbs looked tense but focused on the task at hand. "Boss how do we know what to suspect?" McGee inquired. "We don't," Gibbs stated. Tony & McGee exchanged a glance before Tony finally said, "I think we need to get there now, avoid the passengers from even being put onto that plane. We don't want to panic all those people." "Already taken care of DiNozzo," Gibbs said without looking up from his desk.

5:20 pm

They pulled up in front of the airport terminal and quickly rushed inside. A security guard ushered them past the medal detectors and into a room where the Head of Security was waiting for them. "Agent Gibbs, I'm Tom Venader. We need to know what kind of situation we have on our hands sir." "We aren't sure of the status yet. It could be a bomb, it could be biological or it could be a spoof. My people need to check the plane inside and out. We'll need a list of everyone with access to the plane over the past 24 hours." He turned to Tony & McGee, "Check out the plane." They nodded. "McGee, do you think we changed the rules when we stopped the passengers from boarding, or by getting here an hour early?" "I don't know Tony. We don't know what or who we're working with yet," McGee answered. Searching the plane was going to be no easy task and they tackled it the only way they could, compartment by compartment, seat by seat. "I'm not finding anything Probie," DiNozzo whined, "maybe they're playing us." "No it's got to be here Tony." "Yeah the question is what is it."

She slept fitfully and when she awoke her other captor was watching her from across the room. He came towards her and put his hand on her cheek, "this would not have to happen this way if you would follow orders Ziva." Her mind drifted to statement she'd previously made to Tony, [i] You get orders, Tony. You may not like them, but you follow them. That's why they're called "orders". [i/] "Perhaps all orders are not meant to be followed. Some are meant and expected to be broken, some need to be broken and some are broken for other reasons," Ziva spoke in a soft, tired tone.

Still dissecting the plane Tony sat down in a seat near the back of the plane. He sighed and leaned his head back, "there's no where left to search McGoo, we've even checked the toilet. Do you know how nasty that is? I feel like…" his eyes went wide and he jumped up, "I found something!" McGee ran to Tony, "what? What did you find?" "See that Probie, it's the key to the puzzle," he said pointing at a small capsule attached to the underside of a luggage compartment lid. He pulled it and the two agents were thrown back by the blast. The entire plane erupted in flames and whatever gaseous substance was in the capsule was released on the impact of DiNozzo's fall.

Gibbs was talking to Abby about running the flight crew & passenger names through the criminal databases & international databases one more time. He was impatient, and stood rooted in front of the window waiting to hear if McGee & DiNozzo had found anything. "I'll call you back Abs," he started to walk towards the plane when he saw the explosion and the eruption of flames from the nose to the tail of the plane. He ran past security, trying to find a way to get on board, but the terminal was also in flames. "I need to get on that plane!" he yelled towards Tom Vendera. "Sir we can't give you clearance for that, there isn't another way on that aircraft." All Gibbs could do was watch the plane burn...


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for the long break & short chapter, but I think my muse is back! Next chapter is already in the works. Please review! **

**Disclaimer: If I'm a really really good girl this year can I at least borrow them for my birthday or Christmas?**

_Having phone sex? Laila Tov. Nesiah Tovah. I'm tired of pretending. I was just going to tussle your hair, sometimes it makes you smile. For you. Why are you here, Tony? I couldn't live without you…_

Tony groggily tried to open his eyes but was unable to. He was confused and in pain. _What happened?_ he wondered. He turned his head to the side searching for his team, but found no one. Then he heard McGee's voice, "Tony? Tony? Are you okay?" He didn't have the strength to answer him and he said an inward prayer that help was on the way.

McGee searched for his partner through the smoke & flames, but wasn't able to locate him. He muttered under his breath and ran in search of a fire extinguisher or some sort of aid. He pulled an oxygen mask from a seat in the front, took a few healthy gulps of air and then ran towards the emergency exit door to the side. He deployed the inflatable slide and ran back to find his partner. Sure he was a pain, and too often made a joke out of everything McGee did, but Tony was more than a partner, he was like a brother to him & he was going to do everything in his power to save his partner. The fire extinguisher he found seemed to do little & only caused more problems in his line of vision, but as some of the foam settled & the fire calmed slightly he saw Tony laying on his back about 10 feet away. "Tony!" he yelled and ran towards him, dropping to his knees as he reached his now unconscious partner. "Don't do this Tony! I won't let you die." All he had in reach was a blanket that a flight attendant might give you if you were cold, so he quickly spread it on the floor & carefully maneuvered Tony's body onto it. He grabbed one end and pulled. His partners body didn't move easily & he had to use muscles he that he wasn't even aware he had. By the time he reached the emergency door he was sweating profusely and was out of breath, and was now wondering how he was supposed to get Tony safely down this slide. In the distance he heard sirens & closed his eyes for just a minute.

Gibbs took the car back to NCIS to grab Abby & Ducky who upon hearing of the news would no doubt want to be there. Abby was pale & shaky, crying and for once quiet. She didn't ask questions, she didn't yell wondering where he was when the explosion happened. Gibbs patted her leg and Abby quickly enveloped his hand with hers. Ducky sat in the back looking sad & tired. Gibbs hadn't noticed before, but it seemed his friends age was catching up to him.

_I'd lie, it's true. Give my life for you. You know I'd always come for you._

Ziva sat quietly, waiting. Waiting for Tony, Gibbs & McGee to rescue her again or even waiting for news from Ahmad. The days were long & the nights even longer and she was growing more weak by the day & more frustrated. She cursed Eli out loud & though she knew it would be of know help she had to admit it felt good. She heard Ahmad's voice outside of the door and she sat up straight waiting to hear the news. He opened the door and trying to keep the look of happiness off his face told her that Anthony DiNozzo & Timothy McGee were pronounced dead on the scene. "That is not true," she said. "I watched with my own eyes Ziva, their limp bodies were loaded into body bags and taken away," he fired back at her. "In a few days when things calm we will be able to take you back to Israel where you belong."

_Tony? __Do you believe in miracles? __This might not be Tony._


End file.
